The 15 Best Horror Films Of The New Millennium

What makes a great horror film, anyway? Sure, they share common elements like relentless pacing, unexpected twists and moments that make you jump out of your seat, but these 15 classic fright flicks of the new millennium all share one major quality: They’re all totally unique. Even if they’ve been inspired by horror of the past, even if they’re a sequel or a remake, these movies scared the bejeezus out of us and they did so in the coolest, classiest way possible. These are 15 shrilling thrillers that not only spooked us, but challenged us and raised the genre standard just a little higher.

'The Others' (2001)

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A single mother (Nicole Kidman) cares for her two children while her husband is away at war. Their countryside mansion’s massive floor to ceiling windows aren’t as luxurious as they sound, especially since the children share a fatal allergy to light. Kidman’s manic performance kept us on edge the entire film, which gave us one hell of a twist, and by the end we weren’t just scared silly, but also heartbroken. [Where to stream The Others]

'The Ring' (2002)

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That face in the closet will haunt us forever and so will unlabeled VHS tapes. Thank goodness those went out of style. What’s so brilliant about The Ring, aside from the direction by one hit horror wonder-Gore Verbinski, is that the excessive use of technology — VHS tapes, box TVs, phones with cords — doesn’t feel the slightest bit dated. Why? Because as you’re watching the harrowing tale of Samara unfold, all you care about is the driving story that doesn’t stop, even at the end, where we’re left with a cliffhanger for the sequel. [Where to stream The Ring]

'Drag Me to Hell' (2009)

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Sam Raimi’s totally off-the-wall comedy horror is the perfect combination of the ingenious of Evil Dead and Army of Darkness with a unique spin on the cursed damsel we see in horror all too often. Drag Me to Hell became an instant classic upon release because of the laugh-out-loud, almost feel-good comedy it offers while still keeping you very much on edge with jumpy moments that make your stomach turn. [Where to stream Drag Me to Hell]

'Saw' (2004)

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James Wan, the same mind behind The Conjuring and Insidious, first turned horror on its head with Saw, a disturbing twist on the serial killer horror subgenre. Wan’s use of torture became a character all in itself; each obstacle, puzzle, escape route more terrifying than the last. It wasn’t until the later franchise additions did things get a tad tacky, but the first is a classic. And that ending? Oh me, oh my. [Where to stream Saw]

'28 Days Later' (2002)

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Danny Boyle’s zombie tale isn’t your typical flesh-eating fare. Audiences never saw zombies move so freakin’ fast before and the notion that the virus could infect anyone, anywhere was at times more terrifying than the wild, infected corpses chasing poor Cillian Murphy. [Where to stream 28 Days Later]

'The Conjuring' (2013)

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James Wan strikes again and proves that horror is far from dead with his, at times too scary, The Conjuring. Two paranormal investigators (not the wannabes you find on Spike TV) look into issues a family is having on their Rhode Island farm. Ghosts are overrated, you say? Well, they aren’t in The Conjuring and the most petrifying part? It’s based on a true story. [Where to stream The Conjuring]

'The Cabin in the Woods' (2012)

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Like Drew Goddard’s other endeavors, which include early seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alias, and Angel, The Cabin in the Woods is difficult to label. Co-written by Joss Whedon, it’s not solely horror, nor is it necessarily a thriller. It’s both, mixed with dark satire that makes us laugh out loud, then turns on a dime to make us pretty squeamish. While it pokes fun of teen horror flicks, it also praises and criticizes them, analyzing the greater meaning behind their go-to clichés, highlighted so vividly in the ending. [Where to stream The Cabin in the Woods]

'Final Destination 3' (2006)

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The first of the franchise would be in this spot right now if the third wasn’t so awesome. After Wendy Christensen (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) cheats death, a series of brutal supernatural murders take place and, well, you know the story. Now we forever fear tanning beds, town fairs, drive-thru windows, and Home Depot. [Where to stream Final Destination3]

'Paranormal Activity' (2007)

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All of the prequels and sequels discredit it’s legendary status, but Paranormal Activity gave us the similar giddiness we had when The Blair Witch Project first came out — “We know its not true but it seems too real!” Director Oren Peli was the name on everyone’s lips: “Did you know he only had a budget of $11,000?!” Whether or not you were spooked throughout the length of the demon tale, when Katie got dragged out of bed, you couldn’t stop yourself from jumping. [Where to stream Paranormal Activity]

'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (2003)

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Maybe producers Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel, the minds behind the 1974 original, are to thank for the success of the remake. It’s one of the few horror re-installments that’s as powerful as the first but harbors its own identity. The mounting tensions were just as intense, attacks just as jumpy, and we rooted for Jessica Biel just like we did Marilyn Burns. The only qualm we had was with the ending. [Where to stream The Texas Chainsaw Massacre]

'The Descent' (2005)

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Praised for its rare, all-female cast, The Descent follows six friends during an expedition into unchartered caverns where they are confronted by terrifying, possibly possessed crawling humanoids. The elaborate set design was carefully crafted by Simon Bowles, making the tone of the setting 100% unique and 1000% terrifying. [Where to stream The Descent]

'The House of the Devil' (2009)

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Ti West is the face of the “mumblegore” movement, and The House Of The Devil is his unquestioned masterpiece. The premise, as well as West’s filming and editing style, is a homage to the horror movies of the late ’70s and early ’80s. In this film, a college student having difficulty making ends meet takes a weird babysitting job … on the night of the lunar eclipse!!! Needless to say, things don’t go very well for her. Calling this film “very scary” is to underestimate just how FUCKING TERRIFYING it is.—Mark Graham [Where to stream The House of the Devil]

'Orphan' (2009)

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Say what you will about contemporary horror being unoriginal, but no one saw a twist coming like the one Orphan gave us. This flick took the familiar creepy kid archetype and completely turned it on its head. No matter how good you think you are at predicting plots, there’s no way you could have guessed the last 20 minutes. [Where to stream Orphan]

'The Ruins' (2008)

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One of the most inspired takes on the “trouble in paradise” genre of horror thrillers in recent memory, The Ruins is ostensibly about a group of college-age students who get themselves in some serious trouble when they venture off the campus of their all-inclusive resort in search of some “authentic” Mayan ruins. What makes this film truly scary, though, is that the creeping vines that threaten our stranded travelers are really a metaphor for the jealousy that can wind its way around (and eventually strangle) romantic relationships, particularly during those college years where binge-drinking often fuels the firest of sexual promiscuity.—MDG [Where to stream The Ruins]

'Kill List' (2011)

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For my money, this is the scariest movie of the new millenium by a country mile. One of the things that I love most about Kill List is that it doesn’t star any familiar faces, so you don’t go into the film with any preconceived notions about who is going to live and who is going to die. The less you know about this unpredictable film the better, but let’s just say that it’s more or less about the lengths that men will go to feed and protect their families after their career hits a rough patch. If you were a fan of the original Wicker Man (not the ridiculous Nic Cage remake), you’re definitely going to want to give this one a whirl. [Where to stream Kill List]